Volkswagen sells 450th and final Bugatti Veyron supercar

Volkswagen Group has sold the 450th and final Bugatti Veyron supercar, called La Finale. La Finale is a version of the open-top Grand Sport Vitesse variant which supercharged engine provides up to 1,200hp. La Finale will be part of display at the upcoming Geneva auto show. Bugatti disclosed that all the Veyrons were sold for an average price of about EUR2.3 million ($2.6 million).

Max Warburton, an analyst for Sanford Bernstein Ltd. remarked that the Veyron set industry records not just for speed, but also for losing money. According to a report from Bernstein, VW lost EUR4.6 million on every Veyron sold and lost EUR1.7 billion in total on developing and selling the car.

VW purchased the Bugatti brand in 1998 and tried to revive the carmaker founded by designer Ettore Bugatti. Back then VW wants to develop a vehicle powerful enough to go faster than 400 kph (249 mph) but is still very stylish and comfortable. VW unveiled the first Veyron in 2005.

In a statement, Bugatti President Wolfgang Duerheimer remarked that even 10 years after its market launch, the Veyron “remains unique in many respects." Over its production run, about half of the Veyrons were sold in Europe, around a quarter were delivered in the United States.

People privy with VW’s plans remarked in October 2014 that the German carmaker is working on a new Bugatti supercar and is testing around three different concepts that would succeed the Veyron.

One of these concepts is powered by an engine that is 25 percent stronger than the 1,200-hp powerplant found in the Grand Sport Vitesse. According to VW design chief Walter de Silva, the new Bugatti could be unveiled at the end of 2015 or early 2016.